Contents

Pale and approximately a meter long, an inspection drone is rhombus-shaped and vaguely resembles a giant flatworm. The drone's broad, undulating body was rimmed by a diaphanous fringe of fiber-optic tentacles, each one about twice the length of a human finger. The back of the drone is covered with an variety of transparent sensor domes, with some as large as grenade casings, though most are only the size of bullet tips. An inspection drone's underbelly is slightly dished, which is where the drone is equipped with a bare-bones anti-gravity unit that enables the drones to levitate off the ground. Inspection drones lack effective electromagnetic pulse shielding and have a finite reserve of quantum processing dots, making the drones susceptible to scramble grenades.[2] In the event of damage, an inspection drone is capable of self-repair, such as "regrowing" its utility tentacles and sensor domes.[3]

Inspection drones utilize a broad selection of imaging systems to view targets, though the photoreactiveSemi-Powered Infiltration armor donned by the Spartan-IIIs proved to be nearly invisible to both infrared and passive light-gathering modes.[1] An inspection drone is capable of housing an archeon-class ancilla. The drones can manipulate their utility tentacles to communicate in Huragoksign language.[2] Although inspection drones are not meant for combat, they have the ability to deliver a small electrical shock to opponents.[4]

In July 2553, while she was pursued by the 717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion on Gao, archeon-class ancillaIntrepid Eye relocated from her maintenance skin to an inspection drone to appear less threatening to the pursuing humans. Wishing to utilize their communications network, Intrepid Eye allowed herself to be captured with a scramble grenade by Spartan-IIFred-104 while she remained inside the drone.[2] After a series of events, including an escape attempt from Intrepid Eye,[4] Fred brought the inspection drone aboard a UH-144 Falcon to evacuate it from the ongoing battle at Wendosa, though the aircraft was shot down while in-flight.[5] The crash heavily damaged the inspection drone and nearly destroyed Intrepid Eye. After the inspection drone repaired itself, Intrepid Eye launched an attack on the humans.[3] However, the drone was ultimately shot and disabled by a Marine and Intrepid Eye was extracted from the damaged inspection drone's shell.[6]